The Trainmaster The Official Publication of the Pacific Northwest Chapter January 2012 National Railway Historical Society Portland, Oregon Pre-Inaugural Trip on the Pioneer By Mike Bergman In the summer of 1977 I was living in Vancouver, B.C. and working as a planner for a small consulting firm that was developing a major transit expansion program for the Greater Vancouver Regional District. In early June we helped launch the “Seabus,” a transit ferry service between downtown Vancouver and North Vancouver. The launch was successful but exhausting, and I was anxious to get away for a few days.

My boss had received an invitation to ride on a nounced that we were the first passenger train to head special, pre-inaugural trip of Amtrak’s new Pioneer, up Sullivan’s Gulch since 1971. The new F40’s pulled the first passenger service between Portland the Salt the train effortlessly up the grade and we made good Lake City since the UP’s City of Portland was dis- time heading through the Columbia River Gorge. continued six years earlier. He had a time conflict and Outside temperatures climbed as we approached asked me if I would like to go instead. I jumped at the Hood River, and a big sweltering crowd was wait- chance, and headed south on Amtrak’s Pacific Interna- ing for us at the old UP station anxious to take a look tional to Seattle, where I stayed at the new train. They waited overnight with my parents. The patiently in line to go through next morning I saw my train at the spotless new cars, savoring the King Street Station, a set of every moment they could away brand-new F40’s pulling spot- from the 90-degree heat. less Amfleet coaches and an Our next stop was Pendle- AmCafe food service car. ton, where we were met both The first segment of the by people anxious to see the pre-inaugural Pioneer would new train and Greyhound driver run as the regular morning pickets. The picket signs car- Seattle-Portland train, the Puget ried phrases like “Don’t Subsi- Sound. At Portland, the regular dize Amtrak” and such, but no passengers were shooed off and one was deterred from taking a only those with special invita- walk through the new train. As tions were allowed to stay on in Hood River, the crowds in board. Pendleton were big for a small As we pulled out of Port- town and all were happy to step land Union Station and crossed inside the air-conditioned com- the Steel Bridge, an Amtrak fort of the new Pioneer. on-board service manager with We reached La Grande about a “golden tones” radio voice 9 pm and school buses shuttled came on the PA system and an- passengers to nearby motels,

Jan. 2012 Pacific Northwest Chapter National Railway Historical Society The Trainmaster Page 1 since there were no sleeping cars on the train. As a special, the train was parked in the nearby UP yard for the night. The next morning a group of VIP’s joined us, including Amtrak President Paul Reistrup and Idaho Senator Frank Church. I had packed quickly and hadn’t brought many clothes with me, so I gladly took a free Amtrak “Get the Pioneer Spirit” T-shirt that was offered to the passengers. The friendly older man giving out the T-shirts was Hank, a retiree from Spokane and a member of the Washington Association of Rail Passengers. When the train got underway, Hank sat next to me and he reminisced for hours about passenger trains of yore. Leaving La Grande, the train travelled south November 1979 photo of the Pioneer in Portland along the Ban- field Freeway (I-84), eastbound up Sullivan’s Gulch. By this time, through the spectacular scenery around Baker the train had a baggage car and a Heritage sleeper. City and Huntington. At Ontario, we stopped briefly for some speeches, then continued across the Idaho state line to Nampa, where I got out to take a picture of the train by the city’s beautiful 1924 station (now gone). Switching onto the branch line to Boise, we arrived in Idaho’s capital city late in the afternoon, where both Senator Church and Amtrak President Reistrup delivered speeches from a podium next to the city’s mission-style station. Senator Church recounted how, previous to the Pioneer, the only Amtrak station in the state was in Sandpoint, where trains stopped in the middle of the night. After the speeches, the crowds kept coming to see and walk through the train. All the visitors were very happy to have this civilized form of transportation back in their community. The next morning we were off again, and we made a brief whistle-stop with speeches at Twin Falls. As we approached Pocatello, the train slowed to a crawl as it entered the huge UP yard. The yard was filled with second- hand freight cars that UP had acquired from bankrupt Northeast railroads and had sent to Pocatello for repair. The nice Pocatello depot was across the street from the bus station and the usual Greyhound pickets were there to greet the passengers and train watchers. One of them glared at me as Hank and I left the station for a walk during the speech-making. We ambled around downtown for awhile until I heard a train whistle and I asked Hank what time is was. “It’s 3:30, the train doesn’t leave until 4,” he said. My worst fears were confirmed when we got back to the depot ten minutes later—the train was gone! Both Hank and I had our luggage on board. Sheepishly, we walked into the Greyhound station wearing our Amtrak T-shirts and there, behind the ticket counter, was the man who had glared at me while carrying the picket sign in front of the train depot. Without saying a word, he sold us a one-way ticket to Salt Lake City on the next bus, due out in two hours. We arrived in Salt Lake about 10:30 pm and quickly took a cab over to the UP Station, a huge French Chateau-style building with a bright red “Union Pacific Railroad” The pre-inaugural trip at Hood River in June 1977. The train was greeted by a Union Pa- cific freight, led by a Centen- nial unit.

Page 2 Jan. 2012 Pacific Northwest Chapter National Railway Historical Society The Trainmaster The inaugural train posed in front of the now-demolished Union Pacific Nampa, Idaho depot.

neon sign on the top. We saw the train at the platform but the doors to the station were locked and the place was deserted. Just then I heard a familiar voice, “Are you Mike Bergman?” It was the on-board service manager with the golden-tones voice. He had noticed our luggage hadn’t been picked up from the train, and had stayed at the station after the train arrived to see if we showed up. He took out some keys and opened the station door, then led us to where our luggage was stored behind the ticket counter. Whew! We had made it!

Jan. 2012 Pacific Northwest Chapter National Railway Historical Society The Trainmaster Page 3 Special Train Visits PNW Amtrak’s 40th Anniversary Train visited the Seattle King Street Station October 22-23 and Portland Union Station October 29-30. The consist included three display cars, one combination display/gift shop car, a staff sleeper, and two (P40 and NPCU406, formerly a F40PH). Approximately 2,000 people attended the two-day display in Portland; approximately 1,000 in Seattle. In ad- dition to the train, booths in the Portland Union Station included PNWC, AORTA, Talgo, Oregon Department of Transportation Rail Division and others. Popular with the kids and parents at the Portland stop was the Chugging- ton Depot play area. The interior of the display cars contained exhibits from the 40-year history of Amtrak, including uniforms, posters, tableware, track signals and more. J. Craig Thorpe, noted Pacific Northwest artist, was on hand in Port- land to sign his Amtrak 40th Anniversary poster. Since there was no advertising budget, local Amtrak and organizations such as All Aboard Washington, AORTA and PNWC helped get the word out. PNWC Concessions Chair Al Hall reported sales at the two-day Portland visit of just under $700 with help from Joe Harper, Henri Larose, Bruce Strange, Bill Hyde and Judy Hall. A special tour of the train for PNWC members was arranged by Ron McCoy and nine members were able to enjoy the tour. More information about the train and schedule is available at: www.amtrak40th.com.

Seattle photo by Dan Simmering, Portland photos by Judy and Al Hall, Trent Stetz, and Rolf Schuler

Page 4 Jan. 2012 Pacific Northwest Chapter National Railway Historical Society The Trainmaster Jan. 2012 Pacific Northwest Chapter National Railway Historical Society The Trainmaster Page 5 PNWC Participates in Historic Dedication On December 3, the City of Cottage Grove, Oregon dedicated the rehabilitated Chambers Covered Railroad Bridge. The event ran from 2:30 to 4 pm with the formal dedication ceremony beginning at 4. During the event, PNWC members Mary Hauff, Kent Hutchens and Arlen Sheldrake distributed to 200-plus attendees copies of the special 8-page Chambers Bridge Trainmaster and other items. It was a cold but dry day as the community turned out to celebrate the preservation of this unique gem, the only covered railroad bridge still in existence in Oregon; and it may be the only remaining covered railroad bridge west of the Mississippi River. The dedication Master of Ceremony was the Cottage Grove Mayor, Gary Williams. During his presentations he mentioned multiple times his appreciation for PNWC’s support and participation. Representing PNWC on the dedication program was Steve Hauff. Steve’s presentation encapsulated the history of the bridge and why it was built. Others on the program included a Lane County Commis- sioner and the Lane County Visitors Bureau. Arrangements for PNWC’s participation were made through Richard Meyers, City Manager. Richard was very supportive throughout the process and provided booth space for PNWC at the cer- emony. It was very apparent that this bridge rehabilitation is very important to the com- munity of Cottage Grove and to Lane County. On December 5, Richard sent the following message to PNWC: “Thank you so much for your help with the ceremony. We would love to have about 200 of the special issue Trainmasters. The publication was a big hit and the Mayor is already asking for copies to share with others when he is on trips (maybe we should get 300* if possible). Thank you for attending and supporting us in our efforts to restore this treasure.” The City of Cottage Grove has a lot of pictures and some excellent information about the entire bridge proj- ect on the city website, www.cottagegrove.org/chambers.html. Included on the web site is Steve’s Trainmaster article about Howe Truss bridges. With 20 covered bridges, Lane County has the distinction of possessing more covered bridges than any other county west of the Mississippi River. Seventeen of these bridges are listed in the National Register of Historic Places (www.co.lane.or.us). *275 were shipped to Richard on December 6. Many thanks to Jean and George Hickok for printing the 600 spe- cial issue Chambers Bridge Trainmasters. Photos by Arlen Sheldrake, Kent Hutchens, Mary and Steve Hauff

Page 6 Jan. 2012 Pacific Northwest Chapter National Railway Historical Society The Trainmaster Jan. 2012 Pacific Northwest Chapter National Railway Historical Society The Trainmaster Page 7 NRHS Fall 2011 Board of Directors Meeting The following report by Patrick Molloy, National Director, North Alabama Chapter NRHS, has been extracted and modified with permission and appreciation from the November 2011White Flags & Full Steam newsletter of the North Alabama Railroad Museum (www.northalabamarailroadmuseum.com): The Fall 2011 meeting of the National Railway Historical Society was held over the weekend of October 28-30 in Wilmington, Delaware. The business meeting dealt with a number of significant issues. One of the first items of business was the election of officers. All of the current officers were re-elected without opposition. Most of the appointed staff positions were also re-appointed. Applications for the 2012 Railway Heritage Grants along with instructions are up on the web. The deadline is April 25, and this year there will be an option of electronic filing. As a point of information, last year only four applications (out of 37) were from NRHS chapters. The committee in charge of implementing the new governance system, approved by the membership at this year’s convention, gave a lengthy report on their progress to date. They are currently working the necessary ap- portionment and the creation of districts, and expect to have their recommendation available for review in Decem- ber, in time for approval at the January meeting. The election process will start shortly after that. There will be a nominating committee appointed to solicit nominees for each of the director positions. Nominations will open in January and close at the end of March. The committee will confirm eligibility, and will ask for a short written statement from each candidate. Paper ballots will be distributed to all members, which must be returned in the provided pre-paid official envelope. Balloting will start at the end of June, close the first of August, and the results should be announced later that month, in time for the new board to be seated for the Fall 2012 meeting. Reports on past and future conventions were then presented. The 2011 convention in Tacoma had 451 ad- vance registrations and approximately 710 people in attendance. A proposal was then put forward for the 2013 convention, to be headquartered in Anchorage, Alaska in mid- September. There would be a pre-convention event in Fairbanks, followed by a two-day trip to Anchorage. This would be a nationally-sponsored convention, as no proposals from chapters have been received. There was a fair amount of discussion on the pros and cons of the proposal. Several members were concerned about the cost just to get to Alaska, while others noted that it would be difficult, if not impossible, for those with school-age children to attend a September convention. The dates were chosen because that is the shoulder season in Alaska, and prices are better then. Plus there is simply no availability in the summer on the host railroads or hotels, as many of them are booked up with cruise business. It was felt that this could be done with a reasonable NRHS effort, because many of the services that the convention organizers usually have to do are available from the tourist industry and the railroads, since they are accustomed to booking large groups. After much discussion, the motion for the 2013 convention to be held in Alaska was approved. Railcamp had a successful 2011 session, and the 2012 Steamtown session has already been scheduled. NRHS has been looking for some time to find a second venue, and it appears they will have one starting in 2012, in the Tacoma, Washington area. They will utilize several of the railroad facilities that were used during the 2011 con- vention, including Tacoma Rail, Sounder, Amtrak, Mt. Rainier Scenic, and several other venues. More details and dates will be announced as soon as plans are finalized. A report was given on the NRHS online presence. The new NRHS website has had the content written, and is undergoing review. It is expected to go live within a month or so. In the world of social media, Steve Barry has been dynamically updating the NRHS Facebook page multiple times per week. They will start publicizing it more in magazines and other places. You can view the NRHS Facebook page by going to facebook.com/railpreserva- tion, or simply click on the line from www.nrhs.com (you don’t have to join Facebook to just view the page).

PNWC – NRHS MISSION To preserve and interpret Pacific Northwest railroad history and historical artifacts for the education and enjoyment of current and future generations.

Page 8 Jan. 2012 Pacific Northwest Chapter National Railway Historical Society The Trainmaster PNW SHORT LINES by Arlen L. Sheldrake The Oregon Department of Transportation is conducting the Oregon Passenger Rail Environmental Impacts Statement Project as the next step in improving passenger rail service in the Oregon segment of the federally designated Pacific Northwest Rail Corridor between Eugene and Portland. The project will develop a Corridor In- vestment Plan that has two components: a Tier 1 EIS which will select a preferred alternative for future improve- ments and a System Development Plan which will describe in detail how the preferred alternative will be imple- mented. The Federal Railroad Administration requires a CIP to be eligible to apply for future federal funding for design and construction improvements. The project will consider alternatives for improving intercity passenger rail service in the Willamette Valley. Major decisions that will be made include the corridor in which improve- ments will be made; the locations of stops; the energy used to power the trains (electric or diesel-electric); and service characteristics like the number of daily trips, on-time performance and travel time objectives. See www. oregon.gov/ODOT/RAIL/passenger_rail_EIS.shtml for more information. The members of the Oregon Passenger Rail Leadership Council include Kitty Piercy, Mayor of Eugene, Co-Chair; John Russell, noted Portland developer, Co-Chair; Sam Adams, Portland Mayor; Tom Hughes, Metro Council President; Senator Rod Monroe; Jeremy Ferguson, Milwaukie Mayor; Anna Peterson, Salem Mayor; Sharon Konopa, Albany Mayor; Greg Evans, Lane Transit District Board vice-chair; and Neil McFarlane, TriMet General Manager. This Council was appointed by Governor Kitzhaber to guide the EIS project and develop con- sensus based recommendations that will be submitted to the Federal Railroad Administration for final approval. The 2012 Union Pacific Calendar celebrates UP’s 150-year anniversary with the normal beautiful current pictures for each month but with additional, smaller historic photos from UP’s extensive 150-year history, e.g., a photo of the OR&N Depot in Bonneville, Oregon from the 1880s. Expect to hear more about this important 2012 anniversary as it is celebrated in the PNW. This calendar can be ordered on-line: at www.unionpacificstore.com or send $11.95 to Union Pacific Store, c/o BDA, Dept. #3033, PO Box 34936, Seattle WA 98124. The British Columbia Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure in early November released a request for proposals to design, build and finance the C$1.4 billion Evergreen Line in Vancouver. Technical submissions are due in April 2012 and financial submissions are due shortly afterward. The Ministry expects to select a preferred team by summer 2012 and construction to begin in the second half of 2012. The Ministry will seek separate bids for road widening, building removal, electrical and natural gas line work, and the relocation of Canadian Pa- cific tracks. That portion of the project is expected to start in early 2012. Scheduled to open in summer 2016, the seven-mile, six-station Evergreen Line will be part of TransLink’s SkyTrain service and connect Coguitlam to Vancouver via Port Moody and Burnaby. The line will connect with SkyTrain at Lougheed Station and integrate with regional bus and West Coast Express networks. 11/11/2011 Progressive Railroading An October 23 posting on the Southern Oregon Mail Tribune site noted that in recent weeks, Central Oregon and Pacific Railway and Coos-Siskiyou Shippers Coalition representatives have met and come up with a plan to pursue Oregon Department of Transportation funding through Connect Oregon IV grant. Bob Ragon, spokes- man for the shippers coalition, said CORP, a RailAmerica unit, will seek a $4 million grant to improve tunnels between Grants Pass and Roseburg, with the backing of shippers in the region. The tunnel changes are needed to allow high-capacity cars, taller than normal cars, to run on the line between the Rogue Valley and Eugene. In the meantime, he said, shippers are searching for grants that would allow upgrades to the railroad tracks in Northern California that would allow similar-sized car to run between Weed and Ashland. The text of the League of Oregon Cities 2011 Award for Excellence pronounced that the Prineville Freight Depot was a Winner in the “Small City” Category. The Prineville Freight Depot is a Multi-modal Transload and Warehouse Facility intended to compliment and empower the services offered by the City of Prineville Railway. The COPR was established in 1917 and is the oldest city-owned and -operated railway in the U.S. Through the late 1970s, the railway was an economic powerhouse serving five sawmills and Les Schwab Tires, as well as pro- viding many jobs and substantial revenue for the City of Prineville. As the sawmills closed, the revenue carloads slipped from a high of 10,000 annually to just 87 in 2004. Fortunately, the city realized that their economic future and ability to attract new industry and family-wage jobs was dependent on having a full-service railway serving Prineville and the surrounding region. Through the efforts of COPR and city staff, funding was obtained for the project by successfully applying for Connect Oregon I, II and III, as well as a Federal Stimulus Grant that helped

Jan. 2012 Pacific Northwest Chapter National Railway Historical Society The Trainmaster Page 9 renovate the rail line and crossings. By using these funding sources, for land trade and purchase of 42 acres, the city created the Prineville Freight Depot, renovated the rail line, and is in the process of building a Bulk Transload Facility on city-owned property at Prineville Junction where the COPR interchanges with the BNSF and UPRR on the Oregon Trunk mainline. The Prineville Freight Depot project is helping to save a city-owned railroad and creating jobs in a community that has suffered from high unemployment since the 1980s. The North Coast Rail Authority received a winning bid of $11,531 from Jon Clark of Jon S. Clark Private Railcars for 5 former SP passenger cars stranded on the rail line north of Windsor and located in Healdsburg, Asti and Scotia. The cars, that include the Sonoma, Mendocino, Tuolumne and Humboldt, were built following World War II and were used in SP Coast Daylight and Shasta Daylight service. These four cars were part of the consist on the PNWC Louisiana World’s Fair trip in 1984. The four other cars in Willits, California didn’t sell at the No- vember 9 auction and may be sold for scrap. 11/2011 Press Democrat The Train Watchers Journal (www.trainwatchersjournal.blogspot.com) has some great photos and film clips. One is a French language documentary, filmed in color, on the Burt Lancaster movieThe Train. And there are some very interesting World War I and II rail gun shorts. The Classic Trains Special Edition No. 10 - 2012 “Fantastic 4-8-4 Locomotives” received in mid-November is well done and a worthwhile acquisition. I especially enjoyed Jim Wrinn’s article “Magic Numbers” with two pages on the 700 and 4449. The Nanaimo Daily News reported on November 7 that the Via Rail Dayliners (RDCs) left the island on a barge headed for Eastern Canada on November 5. Via will not return passenger service to the Island until track maintenance is completed but so far only the Provincial government has offered funding for the project. The fed- eral government match of C$7.5 million is still pending. In mid-November, Sound Transit received Federal Transit Administration’s Record of Decision approval for the East project, clearing the way for final design with construction slated to start in 2015 and passenger service in 2023. The line will link Seattle, Mercer Island, Bellevue and Redmond. 11/17/2011 Sound Transit press release The Port of Whitman County is seeking $5,905,000 in federal stimulus funding from the Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery Discretionary Grants 2011 program (TIGER 3) to rehabilitate and upgrade an approximately 29-mile stretch of the P&L branch of the Palouse River and Coulee City (PCC) railroad system serving Eastern Washington. Funding will bring the branch track structure to sustainable and appropriate condition to accommodate 286,000-pound rail cars and provide reliable rail access to a new private sector $16 million commercial grain storage and loading facility. The Washington State-owned rail line connects rural ship- pers located in the eastern Washington State communities of Whitman, Spokane and Stevens Counties. See www. portwhitman.com for more information. The former SP&S Astoria depot, built in 1924 and owned by the Columbia River Maritime Museum, is get- ting some much-needed restoration from the Clatsop Community College historic preservation and restoration class. The class worked Fall term restoring windows in the former freight storage hall which will become their new woodshop in the next year or two. Next term, they will work on the large, leaded-glass, arched windows on either end of the depot. Students will also reconstruct one freight door and refurbish the others. On November 14, the Maritime Museum reached the fund-raising halfway point of over $1 million to give the depot a complete seismic reinforcing, reroofing, brick re-pointing, and interior restoration. Once completed, the depot will be used as the Barbey Maritime Complex, a boat-building annex and historical restoration project. Portland-based Bremik Construction will manage the major renovation work. See www.opb.org and www.dailyastorian.com for more on this. Vandals have torn up 600 spikes, stolen 200 tie plates and tampered with switches causing one lumber car to derail near Noti on the Coos Bay Rail Link during the week of November 7, as reported to the Port of Coos Bay Commissioners at their meeting November 17. Damage is estimated at $20,000 for $500 in scrap metal. Novem- ber 19, 2011 World Link Leonard Morgan reports that the Mount Hood Railroad is building a two-stall facility at the east end of the parking lot near the depot in Hood River. Washington State Department of Transportation and the Federal Railroad Administration signed agreements November 21 securing $16.7 million in federal high-speed rail funds to support the next phase of the King Street Station restoration. Funds will be used for seismic re-enforcing the station and clock tower, restoring the historical

Page 10 Jan. 2012 Pacific Northwest Chapter National Railway Historical Society The Trainmaster features of the station’s main hall and upgrading electrical, mechanical and plumbing systems. The city of Seattle- managed project is expected to start in early 2012. November 21, 2011 Washington DOT press release After a failed trolley restoration contract to Advance Construction of Mukilteo, the Issaquah City Council awarded a $744,700 contract to rehabilitate the Lisbon No. 519 trolley to based in Ida Grove, Iowa. The rehabilitation will include the brakes, electrical system and structural components plus transpor- tation to and from the contractor’s facility. Coast Rail began downtown track rehabilitation in the late Spring. The Issaquah Valley Trolley Project is spearheading the restoration. More information is at www.issaquahhistory.org. November 22, 2011 Issaquah Press (Our friend J. Craig Thorp is very active in this group.) Did you catch the Oregon Zoo advertisements, 15- and 30-second spots, running on KGW-TV (and maybe other stations), hyping the Zoolights with the steam locomotive Oregon? PNWC member Jeff Honeyman and Duke Hughes were the behind-the-scenes train operators. On November 21, the Surface Transportation Board granted final approval for theAlaska Railroad Corp. to build and operate a 35-mile line that will connect Port MacKenzie in south-central Alaska to an existing mainline between Wasilla and an area north of Willow. 11/22/2011 Progressive Railroading The Port of Tillamook Bay is interested in continuing talks with the Oregon Department of Forestry, Oregon Department of Parks and Recreation, and Cycle Oregon about the possibility of adding trails (pedestrian and bicycle) to some or all of their 101 miles of rail line. Getting cyclists off Highway 101 is one of the enticements, as is a trail from Banks to the Coast. As of November 23, the Port and Oregon Coast Scenic Railroad are in the end stages of negotiating a contract for rights to a portion of the track. In the area the OCSR agreement covers, it would be a rail and trail versus a rail to trail. 11/23/2011 Tillamook Headlight Herald On November 23, the Oregon Rail Heritage Foundation rolled out a new and improved website, www.orhf. org, and it is nicely done. And take a look at the new Inland Northwest Rail Museum website, www.inlandnwrail- museum.org, developed by the Inland Empire Railway Historical Society, of Reardan, Washington. The Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation (HART) signed a $1.3 billion contract with Ansaldo Hono- lulu Joint Venture, a consortium comprising Finmeccanica companies Ansaldo STS and AnsaldoBreda to pro- vide technology and supply vehicles for the city of Honolulu’s planned 20-mile light-rail line. The joint venture will design, build, operate and maintain the elevated line which features 21 stations and connects East Kapolei with Ala Moana Center. Design and construction work is scheduled to take eight years to complete. The first stretch of track will be opened beginning in 2015. More information about HART is at www.honolulutransit.org. 11/29/2011 Progressive Railroading One of the many benefits for those working to prepare theHoliday Express consist is being right next to the UP (former Southern Pacific) mainline. Friendly waves and toots are often received from the UP and Amtrak locomotive crews. Occasionally we get to see two southbounds together, the Coast Starlight #11 on one main and a UP-manifest freight on the other. With many close-by grade crossings, a train horn gives workers an excuse to take a break and give the passing train a roll by. The $200 million ethanol plant built in 2008 at Port Westward near Clatskanie that was shut down will re-open early in 2012 as Columbia Pacific Bio-Refinery, www.cpbr.com.The plant operated for less than six months due to manufacturing and market problems. Port Westward is served by Portland & Western Railroad. 12/01/2011 The Daily News Seventy ConnectOregon IV applications totaling more than $84 million were received by the November 21 deadline. Twenty-three of the applications totaling just over $36 million are for rail projects. The 2011 Oregon Legislature approved $40 million in lottery-backed bonds for this program. On November 19, long-time Holiday Express volunteer Karen Keller, who resides in Lacey, Washington, was elected to the All Aboard Washington Board of Directors.

MEETING SNACK SIGN-UPS All months are available. This is one area where the Chapter really needs your help. To volunteer, please contact Keith at 503.516.9272 or email to: [email protected].

Jan. 2012 Pacific Northwest Chapter National Railway Historical Society The Trainmaster Page 11 PNWC is a Strong ORHF Partner by Arlen L. Sheldrake My Webster defines partner as “a person who shares or is associated with another in some action or endeav- or.” The Oregon Rail Heritage Foundation is comprised of six member or partner organizations working together on a common mission. I would like to describe just one of the many actions members of the Pacific Northwest Chapter have performed as part of this partnership. To tell this story properly, I need to go back to the “old days” (before June 15, 2010) when our Trainmaster newsletter was being mailed out neatly folded and taped all over. These were the “before envelope” mailing days. Talk to Jean Hickok or Diana Mack about the USPS non-profit bulk permit taping rules. Size of tape and tape placement are strict rules; those automated sorting machines have strict tolerances. Some of us remember receiv- ing those sometimes bit or a lot frazzled Trainmasters. Into this jumped George Hickok with the idea that instead of printing labels, we purchase envelopes and print directly on the envelope. This idea had a lot of ap- peal: 1) members would receive a clean Trainmaster; 2) inserts would be a lot easier; 3) we would gain one-half page for the newsletter instead of using that page for mail- ing information; 4) no more damn tape. George and Jean jumped into delivering printed envelopes by purchasing a laser printer and we have enjoyed the monthly Train- master in an envelope ever since. In addition to his envelope printing expertise, George has de- veloped an in-depth knowledge of the non-profit bulk rate U.S. Postal Service rules. These rules have strict processes for address valida- tion, address certification and mail preparation. Much of the sorting is done before the bulk mail is deliv- ered to the post office. Most of us are familiar with USPS rules gov- erning first class mailings. While there are some rules for first class mailings, the rules for non-profit bulk mailing are very, very strict and that is why the cost for these mailings is very, very low. For instance, mailing 293 Trainmasters first class would cost $187.52. Us- ing the non-profit bulk rate and the required standardization, valida- tion and preparation process costs $48.60, a savings of $138.92 each

Page 12 Jan. 2012 Pacific Northwest Chapter National Railway Historical Society The Trainmaster and every month. Now fast forward to the Oregon Rail Heri- tage Foundation and their need to mail newslet- ters twice each year. For the first few years, this mailing was down in the 500-600 range and we just folded them, put a couple of pieces of tape somewhere, stuck address labels on the newslet- ters and mailed them out first class. But the ORHF mailing list was growing by leaps and bounds and was now into the thousands. Again George and PNWC volunteered to see if the ORHF mailing could be done with the PNWC mailing permit and the PNWC mailing processes. A total of 2,970 addresses were provided for the Fall 2011 ORHF newsletter mailing. These addresses, that included the PNWC Trainmaster mailing list*, were submitted for Mailing List Address Standardiza- tion and CASS Certification for bar coding and duplicate removal (2,970 addresses @ $0.0065 resulting in 2,344 unduplicated addresses); plus $244.56 for envelopes; average non-profit bulk rate of $0.2439 each piece with a permit fee prorated at $50.00; resulting in a total ORHF mailing cost = $885.62. This same mailing would have cost $2,776.08 if mailed first class, thus saving ORHF a whopping $1,890.46. On Monday, November 14, the ORHF mailing was delivered to the USPS and your mail box a few days later. This is but one of the many ORHF activities that benefit from active PNWC member support. We are, in every sense of the word, a partner Oregon Rail Heritage Foun- dation organization. *The PNWC executive committee determined that it would be appro- priate for each PNWC member to receive a copy of the ORHF newslet- ter so you as a member of a partner ORHF organization were included in this mailing. Care is being taken to ensure that your address is not used for other purposes.

Photos by the Hickok family

Jan. 2012 Pacific Northwest Chapter National Railway Historical Society The Trainmaster Page 13 DECEMBer MINUTES Pacific Northwest Chapter – National Railway Historical Society Membership Meeting – December 16, 2011

The evening started with another wonderful potluck dinner with more than enough great food. The annual election of officers was overseen by Jim Loomis. The general meeting was called to order by Vice President Mark Reynolds at 8:08 pm. He an- nounced that the slate of nominees was elected unanimously. President Keith Fleschner Vice President Mark Reynolds Secretary Jim Hokinson Treasurer George Hickok Directors-at-Large Ron McCoy and Christopher Bowers National Director Ed Berntsen George Hickok presented the 2012 budget proposal. Arlen Sheldrake made a motion to approve the budget proposal and Tammy Auburg seconded. The budget was approved by the membership. Al Hall reminded everyone that the SP&S swap meet will be held on January 21, 2012. A general plea for more volunteers was made. Trent Stetz read his poem highlighting ‘The Twelve Days of PNWC.’ The official count of one hundred four Train Toys for Tots was given by VP Reynolds. The meeting was adjourned at 8:36. Respectfully submitted, Jim Hokinson, Secretary.

And, for those who missed it at the December meeting:

On the Twelfth Day of Christmas, the PNWC Gave to Me as paraphrased by Trent Stetz On the twelfth day of Christmas, the PNWC gave to me: 12 Board Meetings 11 Great presenters at the chapter meetings 10 Thousand dollars of concession sales 9 Years of old Trainmasters up on the web 8 Drive wheels on our favorite steam locomotive (would that be 700 or 4449?) 7 Days of Cascade Rails Convention (only 7?) 6 Steam heated passenger cars at Holiday Express 5 New Friends 4 Days of Steam-Up at Antique Powerland 3 Special Issues of the Trainmaster 2 Days of the Amtrak 40th train at Union Station and.... 1 Great Year!

Page 14 Jan. 2012 Pacific Northwest Chapter National Railway Historical Society The Trainmaster Chapter Officers NOTES FROM A MEETING President Keith Fleschner 503.516.9272 Keith Fleschner, President Vice President Mark Reynolds 503.638.7411 Treasurer George Hickok 503.649.5762 Doyle McCormack asked me at the last ORHF Secretary Jim Hokinson 503.635.4826 Board meeting to convey his thanks to all the National Director Edward M. Berntsen 253.383.2626 Chapter Directors-at-Large Chapter members who made this year’s Holiday Randy Rock 2010-2012 360.574.9083 Express such a great success. Al Baker 2010-2012 503.645.9079 As we start the New Year, it’s natural to look Ron McCoy 2009-2011 503.310.4811 Christopher Bowers 2009-2011 503.577.0063 back at last year and review our achievements. Jean Hickok 2011-2013 503.649.5762 2011 was a very good year for the PNWC. Our Trent Stetz 2011-2013 503.582.6406 normal operations, the library, rolling stock, and Committee Chairs archives continued in their good work. We were Activities Ron McCoy 503.310.4811 Archives William Hyde 503.666.5530 able to participate in a number of functions, includ- Auditor Bob McCoy 360.459.3251 ing National Trainday, Amtrak’s 40th birthday, the Car Host Karl Westcott 503.658.4943 Concessions Al Hall 503.699.5042 Chambers bridge dedication. We were also able to Chapter Rep., Oregon Rail Heritage Foundation assist our Tacoma Chapter neighbor to the north Keith Fleschner 503.516.9272 with the National Convention. It was a very busy Chapter Home George Hickok 503.649.5762 Elections Jim Loomis 503.253.3926 but good year. Excursions Jim Long 503.313.7382 2012 looks to be potentially equally productive Flanger Restoration Ron McCoy 503.310.4811 Library Bob Weaver 503.654.4274 for the Chapter. We can look forward to Union Pa- Meeting Programs Al Baker 503.645.9079 cific’s 150 Birthday, with some activities planned Membership Diana Mack 503.723.3345 for Portland, and also the opening of the ORHF en- Rolling Stock George Hickok 503.649.5762 Keith Fleschner 503.516.9272 gine house. The latter will be a game-changer for Chief Mech. Officer Peter Rodabaugh 503.771.8545 rail history in Oregon. PNWC has a significant seat Car Rental Agt Bob Jackson 503.231.4808 Safety Officer Keith Fleschner 503.516.9272 at the table and many of your leaders are working S-2 Restoration Mark Reynolds 503.638.7411 very hard to insure that ORHF succeeds. Webmaster Jim Long 503.313.7382 We’d love to have some new faces working on Mark Whitson 503.533.7005 this year’s endeavors. If you’d like to get involved, The Trainmaster is the official newsletter of the Pacific North- please contact me. Please stay tuned for another west Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society. It is busy year. published monthly for the benefit of its members. Articles which appear in The Trainmaster does not express the official position of the organization on any subject unless specifically noted as such. Material from The Trainmaster may be reprinted in Bill of Lading other publications provided credit is given as to the source, except in cases where the article originated in a third party Pioneer Trip...... Page 1 publication and special permission was given to The Trainmas- Amtrak 40th Train...... Page 4 ter to print the article here. Please address contributions and Chambers Bridge Dedication...... Page 6 correspondence to: Attn: The Trainmaster Editor National Directors’ Meeting...... Page 8 PNWC-NRHS, Union Station, 800 NW 6th Ave Rm 1 Mission Statement...... Page 8 Portland OR 97209-3794 PNW Short Lines...... Page 9 Voice: 503.226.6747 Fax: 503.230.0572 Snacks Sign-Ups...... Page 11 Chapter email: [email protected] The Trainmaster email: [email protected] December Minutes...... Page 14 Website: http://www.pnwc-nrhs.org Twelve Days of Christmas...... Page 14 ISSN: 0041-0926 Officers, Committees & Contacts...... Page 15 Editor Steve Hauff 360.457.8653 Notes from a Meeting...... Page 15 Circulation George Hickok 503.649.5762 Mailing/Distribution Jean Hickok 503.649.5762 Calendar...... Page 16 George Hickok 503.649.5762 Library Hours...... Page 16 TM Laison Arlen Sheldrake 503.223.7006

Jan. 2012 Pacific Northwest Chapter National Railway Historical Society The Trainmaster Page 15 PACIFIC NORTHWEST CHAPTER TIMETABLE #594 Board of Director’s meetings: January 12 & February 9, Thursdays, 9320 SW Barbur Blvd Suite 200, 7:30 pm (Note address for Board meetings; follow instructions posted on the door for entry.) Membership Meetings: St. Mark’s Lutheran Church, 5415 SE Powell Blvd. 7:30 pm: January 20: Writing the Rails, Alexander B. Craghead. This writer and photographer will give a presentation on the topic of what it is like to write professionally on railroad sub- jects. He’ll share topics of interest to him, including passenger rail and transit, preservation, railroad architecture. He will speak to how those interests develop into articles and stories. Also included will be advice on how to work with national publications such as Trains Magazine, Railfan & Railroad and the NRHS Bulletin. February 17: The Railroad as a Strategic Military Tool, author and new member Diana Harris will show how the remarkable Herman Haupt used sophisticated engineering innova- tions and pragmatic operational policies to transform the U.S. Military Railroad and Construction Corps – both essentially civilian contractors – into ingeniously- equipped, well-trained, and well-organized forces that played a significant role in the defeat of the Confederacy. She will also show the impact of these innovations and policies on one specific locomotive engineer: her great-grandfather, John H. Bailey March 16: Video: Southern Pacific Vintage West, 1950-1978, lots of cab forwards, Daylights, steam & diesels. Forward program ideas to Al Baker, 503.645.9079 or [email protected] NOTABLE NON-CHAPTER EVENTS: Jan. 21, SP&S Railway Historical Society Swapmeet, 10-3, Portland Holiday Inn, www.spshs.org Mar. 10, 34th Winterail, Railroadiana Show & Sale, Stockton, California, www.winterail.com May 12, Amtrak’s National Train Day, www.nationaltrainday.com May 19, GorgeRail 2012, Columbia Gorge Discovery Center, The Dalles, Oregon, www.gorgerail.com June 28 – July 1, Milwaukee Road Historical Association Convention, Moscow, Idaho, www.mrha.com July 7-11, Great Northern Railway Historical Society Convention, Klamath Falls, Oregon, www.gnrhs.org July 21, (1912), 100th Anniversary of Portland’s unique double-lift Steel Bridge opened to rail traffic July 28-29, Great Oregon Steam-Up, Antique Powerland Museum, Brooks, Oregon, www.antiquepowerland.com Aug 1-4, Union Pacific Historical Society Convention, North Platte, Nebraska, www.uphs.org Aug 4-5, Great Oregon Steam-Up, Antique Powerland Museum, Brooks, Oregon, www.antiquepowerland.com Aug 4-5, Nampa Depotfest, Nampa, Idaho, www.canyoncountyhistory.com Aug 9-11, SP&S Railway Historical Society Convention, Vancouver, Washington, www.spshs.org Oct 11-14, Southern Pacific Historical & Technical Society Annual Convention, Ventura, California, www.sphts.org June 1, 2013, SP 4449 15-year renewal required June, 2012, Locomotives 700, 4449, 197 move into the new enginehouse near OMSI, www.orhf.org Sept. 2012, Loops opens to OMSI & ORHF Enginehouse Sept. 2015, Portland-Milwaukie Light Rail opens with a OMSI/ORHF station

Pacific Northwest Chapter - Lending Library OPEN January 21 (Saturday), 1 to 4 pm & every Monday 10 am to Noon The Library will be open the Saturday following the membership meeting and every Monday. Union Station Annex, 503 NW Irving [email protected] 503-226-NRHS

Page 16 Jan. 2012 Pacific Northwest Chapter National Railway Historical Society The Trainmaster